Apparatus and method for making ice cream products

ABSTRACT

Ice cream products are made quickly by mixing ingredients with a liquefied gas in an open container from which clouds of vapor emanate. A deflector close above the open container keeps the vapor from rising away from the container and directs it laterally and downwardly around the container. A source of colored light is visible through openings in a powered mixer used to produce the ice cream products, and a heater prevents the products from freezing to the container. The ice cream products are made in a place where customers can see and feel the vapor.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of co-pending U.S. application Ser. No.10/725,000, filed Dec. 2, 2003, which claims the benefit of U.S.Provisional Application No. 60/430,355, filed on Dec. 3, 2002. Both ofthe foregoing applications are expressly incorporated herein byreference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to apparatus and a method for making icecream products and, more particularly, to making such products quickly.

Traditionally, ice cream and other ice cream products, such as sherbetand soft ice cream, have been prepared well in advance of the time ofsale. Historically, although a wide selection of flavors was oftenavailable, there was no capability of providing, at the time an orderwas placed, ice cream products having ingredients chosen by a customer.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,732 to Inagaki discloses a method and apparatus forallowing a consumer to select ingredients and then quickly making an icecream product in response to the consumer's order. More specifically,the material bulk of the ice cream to be produced is prepared by mixingingredients, after selection by an individual, in a container whereinliquid nitrogen or a liquid nitrogen based gas is introduced and bychilling the bulk while it is agitated. The container in which the icecream product is made is closed, and the liquid nitrogen or liquidnitrogen based gas is introduced to the closed container through acooling whirl inside the closed container.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In the present invention, an ice cream product is made quickly by mixinga liquefied gas with ingredients selected by a customer in an opencontainer from which clouds of vapor emanate. Although the top of thecontainer need not be entirely open, the container has at least anopening or a plurality of openings of sufficient area to enable cloudsof vapor to pass from the container to the surroundings. The clouds areproduced during the ice cream making process, creating an unusual,pleasing spectacle and entertaining the customer. Liquid nitrogen is apreferred liquefied gas.

Preferably, a deflector is positioned just above the open container todirect the clouds of vapor laterally at the top of the container,thereby keeping the clouds low, around the container rather thanpermitting them to rise away from the container. Because the cold vaporis heavier than air, it descends along the sides of the container afterthe energy of vapor generation dissipates. The deflector can extendlaterally beyond the perimeter of the container, along at least most ofthe perimeter.

Also preferably, the ice cream is produced in a powered mixer having asupport through which at least one opening is defined. A source ofcolored light is provided inside the support such that the colored lightpasses through the opening to the surroundings and adds to the visualeffect. During the ice cream making product, the container becomesfrosted. The ice cream making equipment has an outer space fictiondesign reminiscent of the Buck Rogers stories that adds to theexperience.

The container is heated sufficiently to prevent both the ingredients andthe ice cream from freezing to the container. In one embodiment, thecontainer is disposable, being sufficiently inexpensive that a customercan just carry out the ice cream and the container, as is commonly donewith conventionally made ice cream products. Suitable disposablecontainers include containers made of paper or Styrofoam.

As used herein, the terms “ice cream” and “ice cream products” areconsidered to include but not be limited to traditional ice cream,sherbet, soft ice cream, frozen yogurt, gelato, soy-based ice cream, andmilkshakes. For milkshakes, a smaller amount of liquefied gas is used.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus according to the presentinvention, positioned next to a customer, for instantly making icecream;

FIG. 2 is a partial side view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 schematicallyshowing a heater for the container and a light source inside the mixersupport; and

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of one embodiment of a deflector to bepositioned above the container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As can be seen from FIG. 1, the instant ice cream making apparatusaccording to the present invention, which is designated generally by thereference numeral 10 and includes an open container 12, is positioned ina food service establishment such that a customer can see the ice creammaking process according to the present invention and even touch coldclouds of vapor that are a part of the ice cream making process. Forexample, the apparatus 10 can be placed on a horizontal surface 13adjacent to an area accessible by customers in an arrangement such thatat least the open container 12 and the vapor clouds are visible tocustomers. In addition, the open container is sufficiently close to thecustomers and the arrangement is sufficiently free of barriers that thecustomers can touch the vapor.

In accordance with the present invention, ingredients for an ice creamorder are placed in an open container. The ingredients can includeingredients selected on the spot by a customer. For this purpose,containers of ingredients (not shown) can be provided within the view ofthe customer and can include, but are not limited to, ingredients suchas fresh, frozen or partially-thawed fruits, candies, including hardcandies, and powders, including cake mixes and gelatin powders.

The ingredients in the container 12 are mixed by a powered mixer 14 thatcan be a conventional food mixer. In order to quickly freeze theingredients into an ice cream product, a source of a liquefied gas,typically a cryogenic tank 16, is positioned adjacent to the mixer, witha line 18 extending from the tank to the mixer. In a preferredarrangement, the tank 16 is positioned under a counter, and the line 18extends through the counter and terminates at the opening of thecontainer 12. A control valve 20 is provided to selectively control theflow of the liquefied gas from the tank 16 to the container 12. Thevalve 20 can be a solenoid-operated valve. A preferred liquefied gas isliquefied nitrogen.

When the liquefied gas exits the end of the line 18, it produces a cold,visible vapor. Since the container 12 is open, the vapor is visible tothose around, including customers, because the mixer and container arepositioned within the view of customers.

As the liquefied gas flows into the container 12, the mixer 14 operatesto mix the various ingredients and to mix in with them an amount of theliquefied gas sufficient to turn the ingredients into an ice creamproduct. The amount of liquefied gas used depends on the desiredproduct. For example, the amount of liquefied gas used to make amilkshake is less than the amount used to make hard ice cream.

As the vapor generates, it tends to rise out of the bowl. For thisreason, the apparatus 10 according to the present invention includes adeflector 22 positioned just above the opening of the container 12, forexample, about one-half inch above the upper rim of the container. Thedeflector 22 extends laterally beyond the perimeter of the container 12all around the perimeter of the container, typically by an inch or less.The deflector 22 directs the generated vapor laterally and, thus, keepsit from moving up and away from the container 12. The cold vapor isheavier than air and, therefore, after the energy of generation hasdissipated, the vapor drifts downwardly. As a result, after thedeflector 22 directs the vapor laterally outward from the container 12,the vapor drifts downwardly along the sides of the container 12,somewhat reducing the visibility of the container. Sufficient liquefiedgas is used that it surrounds at least most of the container.

The deflector 22 is advantageously mounted to the mixer 14 and, as canbe seen from FIG. 3, contains an opening 24 to permit a mixing element26 of the mixer 14 to pass through the deflector and into the container.A preferred embodiment of the deflector 22 is made of stainless steelwith circular areas of a transparent unbreakable material 28, such asthat commercially available under the trademark Plexiglas.

As can be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2, the mixer has a support 30 throughwhich a number of openings 32 are formed. A source of colored light ispositioned inside the support 30 such that the colored light passesthrough the openings 22 to the surroundings, where it is visible. Inaddition, the support 30 for the mixer is open at the bottom and has aplurality of feet or pads 34 to support the open bottom slightly abovethe support surface. The colored light also passes outward from thebottom of the mixer support. A preferred source of colored light islight emitting diodes (LED's) 36.

In order to prevent the ingredients from becoming frozen to thecontainer 12, an arrangement for heating the container during the icecream making process is provided. As can be appreciated from FIG. 2, apreferred form for the heating arrangement is an electric resistanceheating element 38 in a base 40 on which the container 12 for the icecream rest. The container 12, of course, contacts the base 40, and heatis transferred to the container, thereby preventing the ingredients fromfreezing to the container.

A power cord 44 extends from the mixer 14 and through the horizontalsurface 13, where it is secured by, for example, a threaded fastenerarrangement 46. As can be seen from FIG. 2, the power cord 44 can have abraided covering 42.

The finished ice cream product can be scooped out of the container andmoved to another container for serving to a customer, or the ice creamproduct can be made in a disposable container that the customer cancarry out. Conventional ice cream containers of, for example, paper orStyrofoam can be used for this purpose.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art and it is contemplatedthat variations and/or changes in the embodiments illustrated anddescribed herein may be made without departure from the presentinvention. Accordingly, it is intended that the foregoing description isillustrative only, not limiting, and that the true spirit and scope ofthe present invention will be determined by the appended claims.

1. Apparatus for making an ice cream product comprising: a container forholding ingredients of the ice cream product, the container beingsufficiently open to enable a visible amount of vapor from a liquefiedgas to move out of the container to the surroundings; an arrangementdelivering into the container a sufficient amount of a liquefied gas toproduce the ice cream product from the ingredients and produce a visibleamount of vapor; and a mixer, whereby the liquefied gas is mixed withthe ingredients.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising heatingmeans for preventing the ingredients and the product from freezing tothe container.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a heaterin heating relationship to the container.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3,wherein the heater is an electric resistance heating element.
 5. Theapparatus of claim 4, further comprising a base, wherein the electricresistance heating element is in the base, and the container contactsthe base.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mixer is a poweredmixer.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a source ofcolored light connected to the powered mixer.
 8. The apparatus of claim7, wherein the powered mixer has a support, the support has at least oneopening, and the source of colored light is positioned inside thesupport such that the colored light passes out of the opening to thesurroundings.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the powered mixer hasan open bottom and elements supporting the open bottom above a supportsurface, and the source of colored light is positioned inside thepowered mixer such that the colored light passes out of the open bottomto the surroundings.
 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the containeris a disposable container.
 11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein thecontainer is an open-top container.
 12. The apparatus of claim 1,further comprising a deflector positioned in vertical alignment with andslightly above the container.
 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein thecontainer has a perimeter, and the deflector extends laterally beyondthe container perimeter along at least most of length of the perimeter.